Meet Tommy Gram of Buena Vista Mountain Adventures (BVMA) in Buena Vista

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tommy Gram.

Tommy, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Buena Vista Mountain Adventures began in the winter of 2015. BVMA started because we knew the San Isabel National Forest and the Sawatch Range is a special area. Situated below the continental divide, surrounded by 14ers, several mountain passes and endless backcountry options, Buena Vista is a winter destination. (Oh, and did we mention there are two natural hot springs to relax in after a day on the snow?) Our passion for adventure is equally paired with our passion for outdoor education. BVMA aims to be the hub for having fun and learning to stay safe in the backcountry. BVMA has also allowed our awesome team of highly qualified outdoor professionals an opportunity to work locally and build a company that supports a quality Colorado mountain lifestyle.

One of the unique attributes of BVMA’s business model is that it is employee-owned and operated. Chris Nicewarner, Tommy Gram, and John Mackinnon co-own and operate BVMA. We’ve also been very fortunate to have a strong working relationship with our local gear shop, The Trailhead, allowing BVMA presence on Historic East Main Street in downtown Buena Vista, Colorado. Chris Nicewarner is the majority owner of BVMA. His love of the winter backcountry grew out of his time training with the U.S. Marine Corps and various NATO soldiers in the mountains of Norway and the Sierra Nevada Range in California. Chris is the kind of boss we all wish to have at some point in our careers. Chris is very hardworking, fair and levelheaded. But what makes Chris a great leader is how he builds up his team and support his staff’s development.

John Mackinnon is a highly accomplished outdoor professional, mentor, leader, and educator. (Anyone that has had the opportunity to learn from John knows what we’re talking about) John is an AMGA certified Rock and Ski Guide, AIARE Instructor Trainer Team Member and an AAA Pro 1 Instructor. John joined BVMA as an instructor and guide in the winter of 2016/2017 and joined the ownership team in 2019. John teaches AIARE courses for BVMA as well as leads our ski and rock climbing adventures. John also oversees BVMA’s guide training.

Tommy Gram has been with BVMA since the beginning. (Tommy was BVMA’s first employee) Tommy enjoys spending as much time outside as possible. Tommy is a Ski Guide and AIARE Avalanche Course Leader in the winter and a Whitewater Kayak and Swiftwater Rescue Instructor in the summer at his other company, Whitewater Attainment. (a story for another time) Tommy is passionate and dedicated to a career in the outdoor industry and has been teaching others how to have fun and stay safe in wilderness environments for over a decade. Tommy is the Operations Manager at BVMA.

Chris, Tommy, and John have grown the business over the last five-years and now have several other talented team members: Devin Toll, James Bealer, Katie Macknight, and Sandra Kobrock – all highly trained and certified outdoor professionals – not to mention downright wonderful humans.

Our strength as a team comes from our diverse backgrounds, which include guiding (in the backcountry and on class V whitewater), ski patrolling, AIARE avalanche instruction, outdoor education, and military mountain training programs. We are confident that you’ll have as much fun as we do exploring the Continental Divide with BVMA.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
BVMA has slowly and steadily grown over the past five years. For the most part, things have gone pretty smoothly. The biggest challenge has been that historically, Buena Vista has not been known as a ski town. BV is also surrounded by other known ski towns such as Salida/Monarch and Frisco/Copper. BVMA has been working hard to help put Buena Vista, Colorado on the map as a backcountry ski and snowboard destination.

Please tell us about Buena Vista Mountain Adventures.
Buena Vista Mountain Adventures specializes in education and adventure for outdoor enthusiasts with a mission to make the backcountry a safer and more fun place for all! BVMA teaches the AIARE Recreational Avalanche Curriculum, as well as Wilderness First Aid and Mountain Navigation courses. BVMA aims to offer the “whole package” of know-how for people traveling in Colorado’s backcountry. BVMA also offers guided backcountry skiing, split boarding, cross country skiing, and snowshoe tours. Guided trips are tailored to you and can be half or full-day, with and without a locally made lunch. If you want to recreate in Colorado’s winter wonderland, BVMA is here to support you!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.bvmountainadventures.com
• Phone: 719.966.9939
• Email: Info@BVMountainAdventures.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/bvmountainadventures
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/bvmountainadventures

Image Credit:
BVMA courtesy image: Photographer Scott Anderson
Poster Design CO Creative, Ashley Ahlene (Poster image is not Scott Anderson)

Suggest a story: VoyageDenver is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.